Toward Understanding Persuasion Expressions: The Activation of Attitudes

In response to sales representatives' closing expressions, consumers' stored attitudes are activated spontaneously from memory and influence product evaluations. Studies 1a and 1b examined the levels of favorability associated with several persuasive expressions. Study 2 then examined whether a sales representative's use of a more (Authority) or a less (Scarcity) favorable persuasive expression would affect consumers' subsequent product and advertisement evaluations. The expressions were found to work differently depending upon two moderator variables: Need for Cognition and argument quality. The effect of Scarcity heightened subsequent product evaluation as Need for Cognition decreased, whereas the effect of Authority heightened subsequent product evaluation as Need for Cognition increased. The Scarcity statement did not affect product evaluations given strong or weak message claims in the advertisement, whereas the Authority statement produced more favorable product evaluations given strong versus weak messages claims. Cognitive response analyses and mediation patterns also indicated that the two persuasive expressions were distinct based upon individuals' Need for Cognition. Implications for both sales representatives and consumers are drawn from these findings.